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Topic: Reading/Book Pet Peeves (Read 308238 times)

When something set up as incredibly rare/special suddenly starts appearing for way, way too many characters.

The predictability of the following plot. Evil Villain sets up a situation where Hero(ine) has to choose between two things s/he cares about. Never ever ever will the character actually pick one. No, they'll always always always work out a way to have both. This might've seemed brilliant and cool the first few times, but it is now so very expected it has absolutely no power for me anymore.

Okay, I am someone who LIKES magical realism and a vague wash of the supernatural in my reading...so I have to know which book this is. I'm going to ask up front--is it The Accursed by Oates?That is on my reading list. But if not, I would love to know the title. Thank you!

It's not by Oates, and I'm sorry, but I do not have recall of the title. I was visiting my family in another province and left the book there (with full disclosure!). Will try to remember to ask about the title next time I'm in touch.

FTR, I sometimes like a bit of the supernatural in my reading as well. I just like to know that's what I'm getting.

That's okay! If you find out, just let us know. I DO understand about starting a book under the impression you are getting one thing and find out it is something else completely. I know I have started what I believed were true supernatural/horror novels only to discover half way through that it's the old aliens from outer space bait and switcheroo.

I actually got caught by one going the other way. The author is well known for his military science fiction, aliens had invaded, everything was proceeding as expected, at which point the plan to destroy the invaders turned out to be the vampires (wait, what?) riding up to the mother ship on the outside of the shuttles because they don't need to breathe and using their super powered abilities to save the world. I must admit, the sudden switch to supernatural as opposed to alien invasion (although they were aliens, it wasn't a trick) was a bit startling.

I'm wondering if he'd just seen POTC and wanted a similar scene of the undead moving through an otherwise unsurvivable (ocean floor or vacuum of space) environment to make their attack (or in the case of the vampires - their defense).

I actually got caught by one going the other way. The author is well known for his military science fiction, aliens had invaded, everything was proceeding as expected, at which point the plan to destroy the invaders turned out to be the vampires (wait, what?) riding up to the mother ship on the outside of the shuttles because they don't need to breathe and using their super powered abilities to save the world. I must admit, the sudden switch to supernatural as opposed to alien invasion (although they were aliens, it wasn't a trick) was a bit startling.

Was there any kind of "scientific" explanation for the vampires, or a hint that this particular universe had supernatural elements?

I recently read a book that combined science fiction and horror. Vampires, werewolves and zombies were real and out of the story books. Because of their extrordinarily long lifespans, they were preferred for crewing star ships. Vampires were bridge crew, a werewolf or two would provide fresh blood for the vampires, and neither of them were attractive to the zombies providing cheap labor. The zombies did tend to fall apart, especially if a vampire or werewolf got cranky, but the ship stocked frozen replacements along with freeze-dried brains. It took a couple hundred years to get to the next star, but the crew was well paid for their time(except for the zombies). Of course, the crew might get on each other's nerves after a while . . .

One that I just remembered from a series of books I read years ago. When something is marketed as book 1 in a series of 4, but is actually book 1 in a series of nearly 30, each four or five books separated into sub-series. And there really isn't a true conclusion until the very end, I think. I didn't get that far. Raymond E. Feist, I'm looking at you in particular. Don't get me wrong, I loved the books, the problem is that I was a high school student with no job and parents who weren't going to buy me that many books all at once, and the local library didn't carry them.

I actually got caught by one going the other way. The author is well known for his military science fiction, aliens had invaded, everything was proceeding as expected, at which point the plan to destroy the invaders turned out to be the vampires (wait, what?) riding up to the mother ship on the outside of the shuttles because they don't need to breathe and using their super powered abilities to save the world. I must admit, the sudden switch to supernatural as opposed to alien invasion (although they were aliens, it wasn't a trick) was a bit startling.

Was there any kind of "scientific" explanation for the vampires, or a hint that this particular universe had supernatural elements?

None whatsoever. It was alien invasion, destruction of the earth, brave humans fighting back etc. (all very sterotypical, but David Weber is a good writer and things were moving along). Suddenly out of nowhere, its 'oh, yes, of course, there have always been vampires hidden from humanity and now they are coming out into the open to save the world'.

To make it even more confusing, Weber's previous fantasy novels have been of the sword and sorcery type and he is very well known for his hard core military sci fi. I honestly wondered if he'd lost a bet with someone and had to write a vampire novel but didn't know where to begin.

My pet peeve (it's named Sally) is when authors shoehorn a romance into a story that doesn't need one. See Weber's War Maid's Choice. I wanted to read about Leeana growing up and becoming a war maid and an independent being, not about her spoiler becoming a teenage bride to someone old enough to be her father- but it's OK! Because it's TWU WUV- that popped up out of nowhere and was totally unconvincing and annoying. Bah. spoiler

Logged

If wisdom’s ways you wisely seek,Five things observe with care,To whom you speak,Of whom you speak,And how, and when, and where.Caroline Lake Ingalls

[quote author=I recently read a book that combined science fiction and horror. Vampires, werewolves and zombies were real and out of the story books. Because of their extrordinarily long lifespans, they were preferred for crewing star ships. Vampires were bridge crew, a werewolf or two would provide fresh blood for the vampires, and neither of them were attractive to the zombies providing cheap labor. The zombies did tend to fall apart, especially if a vampire or werewolf got cranky, but the ship stocked frozen replacements along with freeze-dried brains. It took a couple hundred years to get to the next star, but the crew was well paid for their time(except for the zombies). Of course, the crew might get on each other's nerves after a while . . .

Magicdomino would you mind telling me the name of author?This sounds interesting.

It's two related novellas in one book. First Mr. Cody wrote the above, then Ms. Lackey continued the story from the perspective of another character. To be honest, it is a great idea, but not so hot in execution. Mr. Cody uses a lot of vulgar language, if that bothers you. I didn't mind since these are some pretty vulgar people, but another reader was put off by it.

I have to give them credit though. The double novella is a good way to promote a new writer while still getting publicity from the more established wirter's name -- better than all of the ghostwritten stuff. Also, while Mr. Cody's writing is still a bit amateurish, he has a great imagination, and is worth keeping an eye out for.

I have a question about what seems to be the latest writing pariah. A couple of times recently I've come across writers commanding other writers to never, ever, on pain of death, for the sake of all the little puppies, etc., never use the "said George" word order in a dialogue tag, as opposed to "George said."

"Why not?" asked Isobel."I dunno," said George.

I honestly never thought much about it until I encountered these rants; so many books I've read in my life used that construction that I never thought it would be such an irritant to some readers. In my writing I tend to alternate the two (said George, George said), but if that word order is causing readers to break into hives, I'll start making an effort to avoid it. Is it a big deal to any of y'all?

I think it may have something to do with the rise of audio books. If you listen to books then the said George combination gets to be very irritating after a while, but George said sounds more natural. I dont mind either way when reading but I do prefer the latter when listening.

Here's 2 from the current book:A horse is described as a palomino pinto. Sorry, choose one. Pinto is not another word for 'horse'.The heroine puts her needle away carefully in her crocheting. Hooks are used in crocheting, not needles. One more strike and she's out.

Here's 2 from the current book:A horse is described as a palomino pinto. Sorry, choose one. Pinto is not another word for 'horse'.The heroine puts her needle away carefully in her crocheting. Hooks are used in crocheting, not needles. One more strike and she's out.

Well, my grandmother always called her crochet hooks needles, so perhaps its a generational thing.

Also, a horse can be both palomino and pinto. Palomino is the base color, a coppery yellow with white mane and tail, while pinto would refer to white patches on the horse:

Here's 2 from the current book:A horse is described as a palomino pinto. Sorry, choose one. Pinto is not another word for 'horse'.The heroine puts her needle away carefully in her crocheting. Hooks are used in crocheting, not needles. One more strike and she's out.

Well, my grandmother always called her crochet hooks needles, so perhaps its a generational thing.

Also, a horse can be both palomino and pinto. Palomino is the base color, a coppery yellow with white mane and tail, while pinto would refer to white patches on the horse:

I was relying on:PHBA also does not accept horses that are gray or show color characteristics of Paints, pintos, Appaloosas or cremellos or perlinos. (PHBA= Palomino Horse irresponsible parents of the human variety Association)

So apparently, in the Saddlebred horse registry, a horse can be called a palomino pinto...but in the palomino horse registries, a pinto cannot be called a palomino.

Here's 2 from the current book:A horse is described as a palomino pinto. Sorry, choose one. Pinto is not another word for 'horse'.The heroine puts her needle away carefully in her crocheting. Hooks are used in crocheting, not needles. One more strike and she's out.

Well, my grandmother always called her crochet hooks needles, so perhaps its a generational thing.

Also, a horse can be both palomino and pinto. Palomino is the base color, a coppery yellow with white mane and tail, while pinto would refer to white patches on the horse:

I was relying on:PHBA also does not accept horses that are gray or show color characteristics of Paints, pintos, Appaloosas or cremellos or perlinos. (PHBA= Palomino Horse irresponsible parents of the human variety Association)

So apparently, in the Saddlebred horse registry, a horse can be called a palomino pinto...but in the palomino horse registries, a pinto cannot be called a palomino.

Yeah, that's wrong on so many levels.

A pinto horse can definitely be called a palomino since it's a color, not a pattern. A palomino doesn't show characteristics of cremello or perlino (by which they're referring not to the gene responsible, since palomino is 1 dose of creme on chestnut while cremello is 2, but to the fact that a cremello is 'white', which hides the pinto markings).

Not to mention, the 'Palomino Horse Bree*der Association' isn't taken too seriously because it's literally a visual color registry. For heck's sake, they registered "Fire n Ice" a *chestnut* arabian stallion because he *appears* palomino despite being a chestnut.